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What to do in Vienna in winter

December 2017 was the first time I decided to visit Europe in winter. Having never been to place that cold, I was slightly apprehensive about the trip at first (I live in Dubai where it never goes below 18 ° C and going to a country with sub-zero temperatures seemed exciting yet daunting at the same time. But I've always wanted a fairytale white Christmas and Austria seemed like the perfect place for it - a combination of beautiful historical places, romantic towns, Christmas markets and of course, the most important - snow! My 12 days of Christmas in Austria began with a visit to the obvious - Vienna. And although the summer would've been a completely different experience, Vienna in winter is equally magical, if not more.

Most of the places in Vienna are accessible during the winter, as they're in the summer. I spent 3 days in the lively city and visited more than 10 Christmas markets! I'll be writing a separate post on my favourite Austrian Christmas Markets but let's focus on my recommendations for the perfect 3-day itinerary for Vienna in winter.

The first thing I suggest you do is to buy the (24-hour, 48-hour or 72-hour) 'All you can ride' public transport ticket which allows you access to the very well-connected system of buses, trams and metro rail in Vienna. You can get this at any one of the train stations or even some tobacco shops.

Recommended to stay: I stayed at the Motel One Wien-Hauptbahnhof and it was a fantastic budget option, right next to Vienna's main train station. This gave me access not only to the inter-city train network (for my onward journey to Salzburg) but also the metro, which is only a 2-minute walk from the main station (connected by a tunnel).

Day 1

Museums Quartier

MuseumsQuartier

One of the most popular areas in Vienna in winter as well as summer, MuseumsQuartier is a large cultural and art complex that houses several museums such as the Leopold Museum, Museum of Modern Art Foundation Ludwig and Austrian Architecture Museum. Not only that, there are several restaurants, outdoor cafes and music venues here as well. There are several events that take place throughout the year and the freezing winter did not discourage people from crowding the place, sipping on Gluhwein and eating Austrian winter delicacies in the open. The vibe here is amazing, even if you're not a fan of museums or an art/ cultural enthusiast. During the weekend, don't be surprised to find outdoor music performances and parties here, even if you're visiting Vienna in winter.

Rathausplatz

Rathaus City Hall

Hardly a 5 min walk away from MuseumsQuartier, right next to the famous Parliament building, is Rathausplatz, which surrounds the Vienna City Hall. The Neo-gothic architecture of the building is extremely impressive and during winter (for about a month from the 3rd week of November until Christmas Eve), there is a Christmas Market right in front of the city hall. During other months, there are public events that take place here regularly. The highlight during winter is the Ice Skating rink here, where you can see people of all ages having a great time. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you can also take a free guided tour of this building. The architecture is mesmerising and the Christmas Market brought this place to life, with thousands of people flocking here. At night, the building lights up beautifully, which is definitely a sight to watch! It qualifies to be one of the top places to visit in Vienna in winter.

Rathausplatz

Hofburg Palace & Imperial Treasury

Again, only about 5-10 minute walk from Rathausplatz is the Hofburg Palace and Imperial Treasury. This massive former Imperial Palace is now a museum where people can visit the private and imperial chambers of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth. Two of the most popular museums to visit here are the Sisi Museum that houses belongings and portraits of the beloved Empress Elizabeth. The Empress seems to have gained quite a reputation for being beautiful and obsessed with a slim figure, for rebelling against usual norms and being a carefree person. The Sisi Museum is dedicated to telling the story of her life.

The other popular museum to visit in the Hofburg Imperial Palace Complex is the Imperial Treasury. It is home to two imperial crowns, Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Palace, even if not visited, is a sight to see from outside, flaunting it's 13th-century architecture, with horse-drawn carriages adding to its old world charm.

Hofburg Palace

Day 2

Prater

Probably not at the top of many people's list, I found this place quite interesting. Prater is famous for its amusement park, one that houses the giant wheel with views of the entire city from a vantage point. Although in the winter, many of the rides were shut and only a few were open, there was a Christmas Market here that attracted a lot of people and made the place quite happening. Also, some of the exciting rides were still open and you could hear people screaming on the rides. I found this place very different from other places in Vienna's city centre and enjoyed my visit here. It will certainly be a very exciting place to visit during the summer but the Christmas market makes up for the rides that are closed and thus, I still recommend to visit Prater if you're in Vienna in winter.

Prater, Vienna

Prater Christmas Market

St Stephen's Cathedral & Stephasplatz

St Stephen's Cathedral

Personally, this was one of my favourite places to hang out in Vienna. In December, the streets were beautifully decorated with lights and cobbled stone streets, with several shops, restaurants and cafes lining the area. Street musicians, shops selling Christmas trees in the open, and the best souvenir shops in the city can be found here. At the centre of the square is the famous neo-gothic St Stephen's Cathedral, known to be one of the tallest churches in the world. There is a Christmas market right next to the cathedral in December, although not a big one. Whether you're visiting Vienna in winter or summer, Stephansplatz must be on your list!

Stephansplatz

Mozarthaus

Located on Stephansplatz is also the former residence of Mozart, now turned into a museum dedicated to his work and life in Vienna. Although he lived here only for a while, it was where he composed many of his famous works and classical music lovers might enjoy a walk through this historic home, with exhibitions and displays of his major works.

Vienna State Opera

Not too far from Mozarthaus is the famous Vienna State Opera House. Even if you're not a fan of opera, the building deserves a visit because of its interesting architecture and the story behind it. Apparently, the two architects that initially designed the building died (one committed suicide and the other had a heart attack) due to the immense criticism of its shape. The Viennese Opera House today is one of the most popular ones in the world and hosts famous opera singers from around the world.

Vienna Opera

Naschmarkt

Although a place that is best visited during summer due to its outdoor cafes and restaurants, Naschmarkt is the place to go for food lovers. With over 120 stalls selling all sorts of foods, fruits, vegetables and offering cuisines from Indian to Austrian, a visit to this place is a treat for the senses. There is a Flea Market that happens every Saturday and the entire market is shut on Sunday.

Day 3

Belvedere Palace

This famous Baroque landmark of Vienna is one of the most popular of its kinds in Europe. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is actually 2 palaces in one - The Lower Palace and the Upper Palace. Depending on the time available to you to explore, you can buy the ticket that allows access to either a part of the area or the entire palace. Extensive art collections of Vienna can be found in the Upper Palace, including the world's largest Klimt collection and other famous artists from the Middle Ages. Even if you're not an art enthusiast, you must visit this palace for the majestic interiors and the beautiful architecture.

Belvedere Palace Christmas Market

A walk through the Baroque gardens will lead you to the Lower Palace. which is equally impressive in its splendour and collection of art. Other parts of the palace that you can explore, should you have some time, is the Orangery and the Palace Stables. During the winter months (especially in December), one of the most popular Christmas markets is set up right outside the palace, in front of it. The place is a fantastic site at night, with LED starts lighting up the pool in front. If you're visiting Vienna in winter, try to catch the night views of the palace.

Mariahilfer Street

Less than 15 min away from Belvedere Palace and connected by the subway is Mariahilfer street, one of the best areas for shopping in Vienna. Full of stores, boutiques, souvenirs shops and flagship stores of brands from around the world, I loved this street also because there are many affordable stores which have a fashionable collection, located here. Unfortunately, the market is closed on Sundays (barring a few small souvenir shops).

Schönbrunn Palace

One of the most majestic places to visit in Vienna is the Schönbrunn Palace. It was personally my favourite out of all the palaces that I visited in Vienna because of the magnificence of the imperial rooms and an insight into the personal lives of the royalty. The palace has about 1,440 rooms of which only 40 are open to the public and these are beautifully preserved, with rich furniture of the 19-century style and paintings of its residents still adorning the walls.

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace

I found a tour inside Schönbrunn Palace particularly intriguing because the ticket comes with an audio guide that is well made, guiding you through every room in the Palace with an explanation of what it was formerly used for and a brief insight into the lives of the royal family that lived there. You get to see the private bedrooms of the royal couple, their dining room, salon, dressing rooms and children's' nursery. What stands out about the palace are the pools in the garden with numerous sculptures adorning them. There is a fantastic gift shop at the entrance, which has a great collection of chocolates and other souvenirs.

Additional Suggestions:

Café Central: A traditional Viennese cafe that was frequented by intellectuals such as Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, it is one of the most popular places in Vienna City Centre. Enjoy a hot cup of Irish Coffee with the traditional Strudl, as you watch people read a book or chit chat in leisure. Don't be surprised to find a queue to enter this cafe any time of the day. You might have to wait for 15-20 minutes before you're able to get a place to sit.

Cafe Central, Vienna

Das Loft Bar & Lounge

A fine dining restaurant, bar & lounge located on the rooftop of Sofitel Hotel in Vienna, the lounge which is above the restaurant offers sweeping views of the entire city from floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Apart from beautiful views, what stands out about this place is the colourful and incredible ceiling mural by Pippiloti Rust. Although the food is quite expensive, you can just drop by the bar for a couple of drinks to enjoy the lovely interiors and fantastic views. If you're visiting Vienna in winter, this is the perfect place to escape from the freezing temperatures and relax with a glass of red while soaking in the amazing city views from a vantage point.

Wow, what a great comprehensive guide to Vienna. It must have been magical to visit at Christmas – you’re right, the atmosphere outside at the Museums Quartier whilst sipping gluhwein sounds perfect! The photo of Rathausplatz is like an absolute fairytale! I cannot believe those ceilings at the Schönbrunn Palace – talk about opulent!

Great post! Good for you for braving the cold to check out Vienna in the winter! Did you enjoy the Christmas lights in the city – I hear they are #1 in the world for their display of lights all over the city. I really want to go to the Schönbrunn Palace after reading your post. Great pictures! Inspired to do Vienna in the winter too!

I live in Austria but haven’t been to Vienna in winter! However, visiting the Viennese Christmas markets are on my bucket list and your post has given me enough inspiration to do it sooner rather than later. The vibe in Vienna looks so much different in winter than in summer.

What a wonderful way to spend your first white Christmas. And, such a beautiful country to explore. I enjoyed your article and had no idea that Austria had so much to offer. The palaces and architecture is quite outstanding. Good idea to visit other cities like Prater. Now, the question is, will you have another white Christmas? 🙂

What a great Christmas break you had! I like snow at Christmas and that’s it. I really love the European Christmas Markets though. They are so festive and fun. I like trying the different types of food and seeing all the handmade things they sell. Such a great experience.

Vienna is beautiful at any time of year, but winter sounds like a lot of fun with the Christmas Markets. I liked Prater too, although I didn’t go on any of the rides, we did eat an amazing meal in a restaurant there!

We were seriously considering going to Vienna for Christmas next year. I think we have moved on to some ecolodge in the Amazon, but it’s great to see trips that might have been. I love the view from the rooftop restaurant. Great advice about getting a couple of drinks and just enjoying the view.

Vienna is such a beautiful city and well worth a visit, there are certain places that just feel more magical through winter and I get a feeling that is the same for Vienna. I could literally picture myself sitting in the Das Loft Bar & Lounge, taking in that breathtaking view of the city 😀

We are going to Innsbruck instead of Vienna this October. You are brave to go in the thick of winter! I would love to have dinner at the Sofitel Hotel with the lounge above the restaurant offering great views of the entire city from those gorgeous floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

What a great city Vienna is!
I wanted to pick my favorite out of your list but I could not really decide. All the buildings look so imposing and so rich in heritage. I think I’ll have to devote several days exploring every brick of some of these palaces and churches!

We too would love visiting Vienna in winters. Especially the white Christmas in Europe is on the bucket list. Vienna looks simply amazing from your pictures. You seem to have covered a lot in 3 days. In particular I am those Palaces and lighting around them. Beautiful!

I love visiting Paris at Christmas, but Vienna clearly would be fun, too. The great thing is that the museums are just as good in winter but fewer crowds. The MuseumsQuartier sounds like it has so much to offer and I’d definitely but the public transport pass … just so I could visit all 10 Christmas markets.

I have not totally lived in a place that snows, only winters. haha like Hanoi, Vietnam. And just like you having to live almost your life in a tropical or hot place like Dubai, I’ve always wanted to see snow and visit a place like Vienna, Europe! Your photos are so pretty and you had great memories even in the coldest season! The Christmas market isn’t to be missed, right? I’ll move to Germany next year and I’m also looking forward to visiting this! Hopefully next time you’ll visit, there’d be massive snowfall to enjoy much more!

You did good in visiting Vienna in winter time, it is such a different vibe with all the Christmas decoration and markets going on. But of course, it’s a city to go back to in summer as well. Beautiful pictures too!

I am so happy to read this post as i truly believe that Europe looks stunning in winters. I had been to Vienna in summer and after reading thsi I so want to visit it in winters. I love your itinerary. You really packed so much in few days. I would absolutely love to visit Rathausplatz and Vienna Opera house among other places.

I think Vienna is one of the prettiest cities in the world. I didn’t think of going to Prater when I was there but it sounds interesting. I am impressed you went in winter. I love the Christmas decorations.

Vienna in winters looks like a fairy tale city. I too visited Vienna in winters and so I can imagine how wonderful, Vienna looks in winter too. I loved both palaces Belvedere and Schonnbrunn as they are grand and majestic. Christmas markets are also worthvisiting and it is fun to be here in winters. Nice pictures!

I recently traveled to Vienna, but it was during the Summer. I visited many of the sights you have listed but would love to come back during the winter to experience the Christmas markets and lights. Looks magical.

We toured Vienna by bike a few years ago and, while we loved it, it was in the middle of summer and it was SO hot that it was hard to relax and just enjoy ourselves. I think I’d like the winter version of things – you can really slow down and appreciate all the history you’re seeing.

I also am not a fan of being cold, but sometimes the experience is worth the chill. Rathausplatz sounds amazing and looks spectacular all lit up. 120 stalls would take a long time to see! My kids love a flea market and we could probably spend three days looking around Naschmarkt alone. The views from Das Loft Bar & Lounge are awesome, I can see why the food is quite expensive.

I really enjoyed Vienna, and think it would be magical in winter – especially with a touch of snow and with the added bonus of the Christmas Markets. It’s a shame a lot of the rides at Prater are not open in winter, but I suppose that means people need to visit at different times of the year to really experience the city at its finest.

Ooohh.. I’m so happy to know that you’ve finally gotten to experience your fairytale white Christmas! I, too, would’ve like to experience mine. Soon I hope! Good choice on staying near Vienna’s main train station. It’s always a good decision to stay as close as possible to the local transport as it is more accessible. I particularly love the views at night. All those lights make it more magical. 🙂

I really need to go back to Vienna, I visited only once for a really short time on the across Europe with a bunch of other students in the late 1980s and have always planned to go back and see it properly. I’d usually avoid a winter visit as even though I’m from the UK and should be used to the cold, I don’t enjoy the short days and the cold weather. But on the other hand, your photos remind me that the Christmas markets are on in December and there would be less crowds than summer too.

Vienna in winter does look very magical with all the christmas lights! I knew that Vienna is impressive but i never thought this much! So many beautiful historical buildings to visit. I especially love the Schönbrunn palace!

I an second that…Europe looks and feels absolutely magical during winters, especially around the Christmas season! I’ve been to a few European cities during winters and the experience has always been great…despite the cold 🙂

Never been to Vienna, and I think you’ve made an excellent day wise itinerary which is so useful for a short trip! Might just ping you when I go there 🙂

Thanks for the informative guide on the attractions to check out in Vienna! I’m planning to visit this charming city next year so the details provided here are really useful. Coming from Singapore where temperatures go only as low as 24°C, I will definitely look forward to experiencing winter sometime and what better place than being surrounded by Christmas Markets. I absolutely adore the spectacular architecture of the St Stephen’s Cathedral and numerous palaces here. Looking forward to visiting really soon! 🙂

I live in Seattle, so we often have a cold Christmas, but this looks absolutely magical! I’m swooning over the Rathaus City Hall. It’s like out of a movie or something! We haven’t made it to Austria yet, but this really makes me want to go.

Vienna in winter is pretty special. I visited Vienna in winter and seriously there are so many things to do in Winter in Vienna. Its lovely to watched the beauty of Vienna which took me in a different tone. Strings of Christmas lights adorn every conceivable street, residents and tourists alike meander through Christmas market stalls hunting for the prettiest mugs to take home.

I love visiting Vienna in the winter! Your post brought back great memories of my trip. As you mentioned there is so much to do. You can definitely stay warm with the amazing museums in the city. My favorite is the Belvedere.

This place is so full of history and heritage that in any weather, I would enjoy it. So many castles and museums to visit and each I bet have some enthralling tales. I loved the Cathedral – looks so grand. I suppose the Christmas vibes ends up enhancing the charm of the place. Enjoyed reading and making my own bucketlist

This is a great list of things to do in winter! I think one of the first things would be ice skating outside the Rathausplatz – I imagine that would be very romantic. The architecture in Vienna looks outstanding and quite exquisite. I’d love to see St Stephens cathedral too – wow it looks beautiful! I think visiting in Winter would actually be really beautiful, especially if was pre-Christmas. Everything in Vienna looks majestic!

Vienna looks so dreamy. There’s something magical about visiting Europe in the winter, isn’t there? I love that they have Museums Quartier. It’s so convenient to have so many museums in one place when it’s so cold outside. Haha

I’m going to Vienna almost every year, so I know that they have this extreme continental climate: hot summers….and coooold winters; for you it must be really terrible, you poor thing. But I’m glad you’ve found a lot of nice places to make up for the temperature ?

Ah this post brought back so many memories. Those ‘all you can ride’ tickets are a boon. We used it extensively for the 4 days we were there. St Stephen’s Cathedral was under renovation when I was there. So good to see it unveiled in your pic. Hope to get there again.

Wow! St. Stephen’s Cathedral is sure beautiful! I’ve always wanted to visit Austria, especially during the Christmas market season. So many picture-perfect scenes and gorgeous architecture — a blanket of snow would only add to the beauty (as long as you can keep warm!)

I haven’t visited Austria yet Medha, but I love to save such itineraries, my kind stuff. I like out to list my day activities as you did. Loved your post. So many beautiful places to explore in Vienna, and winter is an altogether different aura. Would love to read more!

My own visit to Vienna was in Summer, but I pretty much followed the same itinerary. While I did enjoy Vienna, particularly the Prater, I must confess that my favorite Austrian city was Salzburg. The only place I would add to this list is the amazing Naschmarkt where the gourmand in me splurged shamelessly.

I loved this guide! I was just in Europe and I was so sad because I didn’t make it to Vienna (again). The place is so beautiful that it just makes me want to wear a big ball gown all around the city. Also, it doesn’t matter where in the world, if there’s a Christmas market, I wanna be there. I’ll bookmark this in case I finally make it to this place this year!

Ahh Vienna, always a good idea! Museum Quarter is my favourite place and there are always the best exhibitions in the museums and galleries throughout the city, culturally speaking one cannot get bored in Vienna 🙂 Glad you get to enjoy Christmas market madness, they are one of a kind with their gluck wine 😀

Wow, I always thought Vienna had snow in the winter. I’m not one for the cold either but it does look like so much fun and I bet a lot less crowded than during the summer. And we love Christmas markets! It’s just such a beautiful city and the perfect place to spend the holidays.

That’s very true Heidi, it was a lot less crowded. It wasn’t snowing in Vienna when I was there, which was a pity because I really wanted to see some snow. I did manage to catch snow once I went to Innsbruck and Salzburg though 🙂

Vienna is just so elegant, especially in winter! We visited near Christmas and adored the Christmas market- I think it’s one of the prettiest in all of Europe, and I loved the Christmas lights throughout the city centre.

Lovely guide on Vienna. I am yet to plan my trip there. As I can see Schönbrunn Palace is just so beautiful. Looks like a scene from a fairytale. Glad I have now tips for the winter season as well thanks.

I am loving how Vienna lights up for Christmas during the winter season – the lights are delightful and would have added such a wonderful experience to your time there. The Christmas Marketing in front of Rathausplatz looks amazing- ahhh to be there and drink gluhwein and soak up Christmas delights. And wow does Belvedere Palace look so grand in the early evening! The way it lights up looks just so majestic.

Vienna is on my bucket list and although I’d love to go there during beautiful weather, seeing the Christmas Markets is also a dream of mine. It’s nice to know that most of the other attractions are open during the winter as well. Your photos are beautiful. I need to get there soon!

I visited Vienna during Autumn in 2017 and I found it very cold as it was raining throughout my visit. I had to miss so many places as due to the wet days. Prater was one of the best places in the city, the rides were amazing, sad everything wasn’t open during winters.

I loved Vienna when I visited, but I visited during spring. The Christmas market looked like a lot of fun, I obviously missed that too. Belvedere was my favourite palace in Vienna, and I think I spent at least 2 hours there! Lovely photos as always!

Hi there!

I'm a travel blogger and storyteller who loves adventure, food and wine, roadtripping, camping, hiking and everything crazy! I'm high on life and have springs under my feet. I love mountains as much as beaches, I'm a sucker for good deals and budget travel and a total romantic at heart!